LEVEL 20: CLEOPATRA'S PALACES
Secrets: 1*
ROOM WITH FOUNTAIN AND GREENERY: You begin in the room you entered earlier to get
one of the BLACK BEETLES for use in the previous level, PHAROS, TEMPLE OF ISIS.
After completing that level, you should now have the MECHANICAL SCARAB and the
WINDING KEY. If you don't, go back through the south door to the previous level to
get whichever you're missing. Return here when you've got both pieces.
Jump into the pool with the fountain. Swim through the small, underwater passage to
a room where you can climb out of the water. Reach into the niche to operate a
mechanism.
Cut scene: An L-shaped section of floor lowers in a corner elsewhere.
Swim back to the ROOM WITH FOUNTAIN AND GREENERY and climb out of the pool.
NETWORK OF HALLWAYS TO THE NORTHEAST: Cross the room and go through either of the
doors in the northeast corner (below the balcony). If you didn't already do so when
you came into this area the first time, shoot the three hollow benches in the
alcoves to get a large medipak, normal arrows and revolver ammo.
Continue to where the hallway narrows and there are holes in the floor with
concealed spikes. Combine the MECHANICAL SCARAB and the WINDING KEY and use this
while standing on the tile with the beetle symbol. The MECHANICAL SCARAB will cross
the spikes ahead of you, activating them so you can cross safely after it. Be sure
to pick up the SCARAB on the other side.
Beyond the spike hallway is a small room with two doors. The door on the left
(north) with the hieroglyphics carved around it has a ramp leading up to a small
room. There's a scissor-blade trap in the doorway, so enter quickly. Stand facing
the rectangular box. Press Action to open it and retrieve the RIGHT GAUNTLET of the
ARMOR OF HORUS. A skeleton rises out of the floor to the right of the box. Blast it
with a grenade or explosive arrow. To get past the blade in the doorway without
taking any damage, run through between the outer edge of either blade and the door
frame as the blades close in the center. Or, stand at the center as close to the
blades as possible without taking damage and roll as they begin to open. Return down
the ramp.
Now go through the door on the left (east). The hallway ends in a T with closed
double doors ahead and another skeleton lurking on the right. You can blast it or
run down the hall to the left, jump over the small pool and, when the skeleton
approaches, blast it into the pool with the shotgun.
There are hallways lined with concealed spikes at both ends of the T intersection
(beyond the small pool and where the skeleton came from). If you want to get the
only secret in this level, you must follow the hallway leading south from the T, not
the one leading eastward beyond the pool. Use the MECHANICAL SCARAB again to
deactivate the spikes, cross over them and retrieve the SCARAB.
Beyond the spike hall is a staircase with two columns at the top and a small room
off to the right. Enter the small room carefully to avoid the scissor-blade trap in
the doorway. Open the box to get some wideshot shells. Deal with the skeleton that
rises out of the floor. Then exit carefully past the blades, go to the right up the
stairs, then down the stairs on the other side.
ROOM WITH HUGE, SQUARE COLUMNS: As you explore, a golden bird flies in from the
hallway where you entered. Shoot it down, then open the rectangular box to get a
small medipak.
Go through the hallway in the northeast corner. This leads to a small room with two
spike-trapped hallways leading to the left and right. There's also a staircase
leading up to a closed door and a golden receptacle. (You'll be getting the artifact
that belongs here shortly.) Pick up the box of SHOTGUN shells on the landing near
the receptacle. Then use the MECHANICAL SCARAB to deactivate the spikes in the right
(north) hallway of the two. (You can see a decorated wall at the end of this
hallway.) Follow the SCARAB to secret #1 (54/70). Open the rectangular box to get
explosive arrows, a small medipak, 3 boxes of regular shotgun shells and 1 box of
wideshot shells (all in one pick-up). Return to the previous intersection, then up
the steps straight ahead (southward) to get back to the ROOM WITH HUGE, SQUARE
COLUMNS.
ROOM WITH L-SHAPED PIT AND BARRED WINDOW: Follow the hall on the right (northwest
corner) with the hieroglyphs and painted birds past a small, square door carved with
a man's face. In the next room, there will be an L-shaped pit in the left corner
provided you swam through the underwater passage and operated the floor-lowering
mechanism at the beginning of the level. Drop into the pit and shoot the hollow
bench to get some explosive arrows. Take a standing jump from the bench alcove to
grab the edge of the pit and climb out.
Approach the raised black switch in the doorway ahead on the left (west) and a
skeleton appears on the other side of the room. Explode it or blast it into the L-
shaped pit. Then jump up to pull the switch. This opens the doors, which lead back
to the beginning of the level, and raises a block in the ROOM WITH L-SHAPED PIT AND
BARRED WINDOW. Climb onto the block and take a standing jump to grab the horizontal
crevice in the (west) wall to the right of the switch. Traverse all the way around
to the north wall, where you can pull up into a hallway.
Shoot the bench to get a quiver of normal arrows. Go up the ramp to another small
room with a scissor-blade trap in the doorway. Open the box to get the RIGHT GREAVE
of the ARMOR OF HORUS. Deal with the skeleton that rises out of the floor. (You can
blast it into the small pool if you like.) Then exit carefully past the blades and
return down the ramp.
Don't drop down into the hallway near the barred window. The only way out is via two
spiked hallways, and if you've followed this walkthrough and gotten the secret, your
MECHANICAL SCARAB will be played out. Instead return along the greenery-lined
hallway to the ROOM WITH L-SHAPED PIT AND BARRED WINDOW.
Return past the L-shaped pit to the hall with the painted hieroglyphs and birds. Now
the small, square door should be open. Enter and get the PHAROS KNOT from the
rectangular box.
Exit to the left and return to the ROOM WITH HUGE, SQUARE COLUMNS. Make the second
left out of that room (in the northeast corner) and follow the hall to the stairs
with the receptacle for the PHAROS KNOT. Place the artifact to open the nearby door.
HIGH-CEILINGED ROOM WITH PAINTED SYMBOLS: Enter and take the small medipak from the
low pedestal.
Cut scene: Helixes of light swirl around Lara and the empty pedestal nearby.
Magically a golden statue of Lara is created on the other pedestal.
Climb onto the block on the left (north) wall. Jump to grab the bars overhead and
traverse to the other side of the room. At the back of the alcove is an opening
where you can climb to the level above.
When you come out onto the elevated walkway, a golden bird flies in from the left.
Shoot it down. Cross the walkway to the middle, then take a running jump over to the
walkway on the left. Go to the far right (north) end and climb into the raised
hallway. Follow this to a room with a hollow bench and a skeleton on the floor.
The bench is empty; it's just a ruse to distract you. Look sharp because another
golden bird flies down from the ceiling and starts attacking the statue of Lara,
causing the "real" Lara to take damage. If you move quickly, you can shoot the bird
from the opening near the bench and skeleton. Otherwise, head back down to the
elevated walkway and do it from there. Note that Lara will also target the statue,
causing even more health loss. So take care where you shoot. A couple of well-aimed
explosive arrows (use the laser sight) will take the bird down.
From the small room with the skeleton and bench, jump over to the central platform.
The skeleton awakens and follows. Roll and use the shotgun to knock it off the
platform. There are three small, square doors carved with men's faces on each of the
nearby ledges. You'll also notice 2 black switches mounted on blocks to the left and
right. You'll need to pull both and it doesn't matter which you pull first. Lara
will lose a bit of health on each drop to the walkway below, so make sure you've got
enough to start.
When you pull the switch to the west, the square door on that side opens. Climb back
up to the center platform. When you pull the switch to the east, the square door on
that side opens, and another golden bird flies down to attack the statue. You may be
able to nail it before it reaches the statue. If not, drop down to ground level
(avoiding the pit in the center) for a clear shot. Climb back up to the center
platform.
Now that the two side doors are open, take a running jump to each in turn. (Jump to
the side of each overhanging block, or Lara will bump her head and fall to her
death.) Enter the alcove on the east side and reach into the niche to get the HATHOR
EFFIGY. The alcove on the west side contains a skeleton, which awakens when you
enter. Take care of it. Then reach into the niche for the ORNATE HANDLE. The hollow
bench on the ledge outside the alcove has a large medipak inside. Jump back to the
center platform, then to the remaining closed door.
Combine the HATHOR EFFIGY and the ORNATE HANDLE to form the PORTAL GUARDIAN, and
place this on the stick near the door to open it. Enter the hallway beyond and kill
the skeleton that arises from the floor. Shoot the hollow bench to get some Uzi
clips.
THRONE ROOM: You might want to save your game before entering the throne room.
Cut scene: Lara decides to play "Queen for a Day." Not a good idea. The two side
doors open and the 2 THRONE ROOM GUARDIANS emerge.
It takes a boatload of ammo to kill these guys, but at least you can deal with them
one at a time. The guardian on the left begins shooting blue energy bolts first. To
conserve your explosive ammo, you might try staying behind the guardian as much as
you can (to avoid getting hit) and blasting it with Uzi fire. Or, get a little
distance between Lara and the guardian and side flip back and forth to avoid the
bolts. Or, try running right up to the guardian, crouching and firing away with
pistols. He should fire right over Lara's head, so she'll take minimal or no damage.
Eventually the first guardian will fall and you can repeat the procedure with the
second guardian. When both guardians are dead, go into the side rooms and retrieve
the LEFT GREAVE and BREAST PLATE of the ARMOR OF HORUS from the boxes. Taking the
items opens a pair of trapdoors near the throne. Drop in and go downstairs to end
the level.